1
as in to glow
to be on fire especially brightly
all evening long we just sat there, contentedly watching the Yule log burn
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2
as in to scorch
to set (something) on fire
it is not a good idea to try to burn old papers in the sink
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to steam
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger
he came home burning with anger because of a reprimand at work
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4
as in to flame
to shine with a bright harsh light
the bright streetlight outside our motel room burned all night long
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5
as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue
he's been burned before, so he's careful to double-check such claims now
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to consume
to make complete use of
heedlessly burning the country's resources without any concern for future generations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in brook
a natural body of running water smaller than a river
the walkers forded the shallow burn and then came upon a field of gorse
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burn
Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
William Lucas, 8, survived after Tonya Lucas’ boyfriend at the time rescued him from the burning home.
—Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2023
Richard Hall, Time, 19 Aug. 2025
But over the same period, emissions from wildfires and prescribed burns increased threefold.
—Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Verb
Such interactions can light a fuse that may burn throughout a school year, only to erupt when students arrive for a new semester driving their parents’ car.
—Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
William Lucas, 8, survived after Tonya Lucas’ boyfriend at the time rescued him from the burning home.
—Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2023
Noun
Large amounts of the isotope, meanwhile, can be incredibly dangerous, and in addition to increasing cancer risks, can cause burns, radiation sickness, and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
—Richard Hall, Time, 19 Aug. 2025
But over the same period, emissions from wildfires and prescribed burns increased threefold.
—Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burn
Verb
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Flaky croissants warm in glowing bakeries, accordion notes drift through the air, and lovers linger by the Seine.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Photographer Josh Dury captured a breathtaking view of Perseid meteors raining down alongside the glowing band of the Milky Way towards the Durdle Door rock formation on the coast of Dorset in the UK.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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And there’s a chance next summer’s temperatures could fall back to 2024’s scorching numbers if the A’s decide to play more day games at Sutter Health Park.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Wildfires have already made headlines this year, thanks to the horrific fires in the Los Angeles area in January, which scorched tens of thousands of acres and left dozens, perhaps hundreds dead.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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They’re wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks, are flatter and more rectangular in shape, and are about three times the size of the kind traditionally steamed in corn husks (perfect for sharing).—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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The Cortado, a new style of coffee drink Starbucks added earlier this year, is made with three ristretto shots of Blonde Espresso and steamed milk (ristretto espresso shots are smaller and more concentrated than traditional ones).—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But translated into presidential pictures, the ballroom is actually one and a third football fields, 15 flaming Hindenburgs, or alternatively, three Trump Tower apartments based on their property fraud size.—
Pat Beall,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Aug. 2025
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The flaming parachutes burnt up in 2.3 to three seconds each take, so Cruise had to think fast — 16 times in a row.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
5 June 2025
Verb
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But appearances can be deceiving because there's a lot of bright side here.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Language can easily deceive The deeper issue is that language itself is a tool of manipulation.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Every yes consumes capacity that could have gone to something else.—
Andrea Hill,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
And for the first time, his mind wasn’t consumed with basketball.—
CJ Moore,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Ophelia was the love interest of Prince Hamlet in Shakespeare's iconic tragedy, and met her end after climbing a willow tree, falling from a broken branch and subsequently drowning in the brook below after Hamlet rejects her.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The brook had left its channel and begun a new channel across the valley.—
John Seabrook,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Larsen blazed another trail in 1979 by running for Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge.—
Jeff Suess,
The Enquirer,
21 Aug. 2025
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Powdery mildew coats the leaves of roses and zinnias, blazing heat withers your veggies, and weeds are the only plants that seem to be thriving.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burn. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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